Naturally Nourished EPISODE 11: The HPA-axis: stress and your health

The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis also known as “fight-or-flight” plays a dynamic role on the function of the body. When appropriately activated this stress response can aid in survival, but when over-activated, can lead to organ dysfunction, hormonal imbalance, metabolic disruptions, inflammation, and autoimmune reactivity. Ali will discuss each gland in this pathway and how it regulates your body’s health from body temperature to satiety, fluid retention, histamine reaction, and beyond! She will identify how this system of feedback functions and how a functional medicine practitioner addresses imbalance.

Beyond stress and survival response, you will learn how this axis when thrown off can lead to increased food sensitivities, digestive disturbances, and stubborn weight loss. All too often a client searching for a solution with ongoing health condition is picking at layers of the symptom rather than understanding that managing this axis can resolve many chronic conditions. You will learn about realistic approaches to assess and treat this axis to promote whole body health including amino acid support, dietary support, and lifestyle management.

Also covered in this episode:

• Adaptogen vs. Nervine herbs and how they work

• Tips to regulate stress response and harness reactivity

• Lab recommendations to assess adrenal fatigue and HPA-dysregulation

• The role of DHEA in hormonal balance and stress resilience

• The output hormones of the hypothalamus, pituitary, and adrenal glands